Chapter 99: 99

Chapter 99: Saber Practicing in Thousand Sabers Cavern

On New Year’s Eve, all Archean Mountain disciples gathered at Dao Exchange Peak .

“Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

A group of disciples enjoyed themselves with drinks . There were also musicians playing music by the side . Delicacies were constantly served by servants .

Liu Qiyue and Meng Chuan sat together and watched the fireworks explode in the distance . The servants—who were launching the fireworks from afar—were also very happy .

“In a blink of an eye, it’s already New Year’s Eve . This is the first New Year’s Eve I’m spending at Archean Mountain . ” Liu Qiyue leaned against Meng Chuan and felt like she wasn’t lonely on Archean Mountain anymore .

“We will be here for about ten years,” said Meng Chuan with a smile . “This will be our last peaceful period . We will be placed on the battlefield once we leave the mountain . ”

After entering Archean Mountain, most disciples went down the mountain after ten to fifteen years . Some people went down the mountain earlier—about six years after entering Archean Mountain .

Some of the more talented disciples took twenty years before leaving the mountain .

The higher one’s talent was, the harder the Nine Mystical Caves test . For example, the Fifth Young Master—Xue Feng—had been on the mountain for ten years . He had achieved Sword Soul last year . He was now far more powerful than Jadesun Palace Lord, but he still wasn’t able to pass the Nine Mystical Caves .

My future Nine Mystical Caves test will probably be very difficult as well . He had formed his Essence Soul when he was mortal, so his master’s requirements for him would definitely be strict . If he successfully cultivated a transcendent-grade Godfiend Body and a Black Metal Sutra move, the test would be extremely difficult . Of course, it wouldn’t be easy for him to cultivate a transcendent-grade Godfiend Body and a Black Metal Sutra either . Only two disciples—who hadn’t left the mountain—were capable of doing so . One of them was King Calm Sea’s fifth son, Xue Feng, and the other was Xiao Yunyue from Jiang State’s Xiao family .

“We have to enter the battlefield once we leave the mountain . Therefore, we need to cultivate well on the mountain . Only with sufficient strength can we kill powerful demon monarchs,” said Liu Qiyue .

“Hey Couple, what are the two of you talking about? Why aren’t you coming over to drink?” Dong Fang’s voice was rough as he shouted loudly .

“Yes, yes, yes . Come on over,” Ning Yibo shouted in a tipsy state .

“Couple?” Liu Qiyue blushed red when she heard that .

“Qiyue, let’s go over . ” Meng Chuan smiled as he pulled Liu Qiyue along . Liu Qiyue had come up the mountain alone, so she joined this new batch of disciples for the gathering .

There were three gatherings at Dao Exchange Peak every month . They happened on the 10th, 20th, and last day of each month .

Firstly, the gathering was meant for them to relax and make friends . After all, they would be comrade-in-arms on the battlefield . Secondly, they could discuss any cultivation problems that stumped them . Many Archean Mountain disciples still on the mountains had become Godfiends; thus, they could give some pointers to their juniors .

Thirdly, they could engage in sparring matches . All who entered Archean Mountain were geniuses, so they naturally refused to admit defeat .

The gathering today was very special . It was New Year’s Eve .

“Come, come . We can let Sister Qiyue off, but Meng Chuan, you’re a man . You need to drink three shots as a forfeit!” Dong Fang laughed .

“Alright, I’ll drink three cups . ” Meng Chuan didn’t hesitate and quickly downed three cups of alcohol .

Yan Jin sat with a cup of alcohol in his hand as a smile crept up on the corners of his mouth .

The group of people drank and talked .

“I think I’m quite talented in cultivating the Two World Divine Body . I’ve already gained basic mastery of it . Perhaps I’ll be able to achieve a transcendent-grade Godfiend body in a year,” said the youngest Yan Chitong . He sat cross-legged—his feet bare—as he gnawed on a drumstick smugly .

“Junior Brother, don’t be too smug . It’s easy to gain basic mastery of the Two World Divine Body . The hardest parts are the three life-and-death tribulations,” said Yan Feng with a smile .

“None of the transcendent-grade Godfiend bodies are simple,” said Chu Yong .

Everyone was in a good mood .

Everyone’s cultivation was very smooth in the beginning . Meng Chuan’s cultivation of the Lightning Devastator Fiend Body had also gone very smoothly .

“Look at how happy you all are . ” A carefree young man walked over with an alcohol flask in hand . He looked drunk . “My name is Yue Qing . I came to Archean Mountain two years earlier than you . Every new batch of disciples would smile happily in the beginning, but they all wore bitter looks as they continued cultivating . It’s really difficult to achieve a transcendent-grade Godfiend body . I haven’t succeeded in cultivating the Black Sand Fiend Body to this day . Forget it . Let’s not talk about this . It’s New Year’s Eve . Why talk about this? Let me toast all of you, my juniors . ”

“Bottoms up, Senior Brother . ”

Meng Chuan and company raised their cups . He wasn’t familiar with all of his seniors . However, they would gradually become more familiar with each other through gatherings at Dao Exchange Peak .

They were destined to be influential figures of the Great Zhou Dynasty . They were still young .

…

After New Year’s Eve—the first day of the new year—he began cultivating normally again .

All the geniuses were very diligent . They knew that many twenty-year-olds were serving in the military and fighting on the battlefield while they were able to live comfortably . Why? It was because they were the hope of humanity! On the mountain, they had all the resources and formulas they needed . Many seniors left behind secret manuals and notes while fighting outside .

They were free to choose, and the Supremacy guided them personally . Therefore, they didn’t want to waste time .

Thousand Sabers Cavern .

On 6th January, Meng Chuan arrived at Thousand Sabers Cavern .

Looking up, one could see countless caves . Strong winds passed through these caves, producing ear-piercing sounds . There were even visible “wind blades” passing through the caves .

Thousand Sabers Cavern was a natural formation . One didn’t require any credit to cultivate here .

From today onwards, I’ll practice my saber here every day . Meng Chuan leaped 100 feet high and entered a cave .

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! The raging winds in the cave roared as wind blades sliced through them . The tunnels were in all kinds of weird shapes—due to the howling winds buffeting the cave for many years .

As Meng Chuan walked through the cave, he dodged the wind blades nimbly . As for the wind? It was nothing to experts at his level .

After venturing a thousand feet into the cave, the wind in the cave grew stronger . There were even more wind blades here .

According to Archean Mountain’s records, Godfiend Guo Ke was isolated deep inside Thousand Sabers Cavern . He had his Quintessential Essence sealed, preventing him from casting a domain . The wind blades constantly sliced at his body, causing him to suffer endless torment . Therefore, he constantly sliced the wind blades apart .

There are countless wind blades deep inside Thousand Sabers Cavern; they can slice a newly-advanced Godfiend to pieces . In the three years he spent inside Thousand Sabers Cavern, Guo Ke created the Heart Intent Saber Art—which helped him dominate the entire world—after repeatedly slashing the wind blades . With this, he became a Marquis Godfiend . Then, he went deeper into Thousand Sabers Cavern to cultivate his saber arts! By the time he reached the end, he had mastered the Heart Saber Stance and became a Regis Godfiend . The Heart Intent Saber Art was perfected after centuries, becoming one of humanity’s strongest weapon arts .

Meng Chuan nodded slightly .

The foundation of Heart Intent Saber’s eighteen stances was the first stance—Heart Saber Stance .

The Heart Saber Stance was the most basic move of Heart Intent Saber, but it was also the saber art’s ultimate move . However, to most Heart Intent Saber cultivators, the next three stances were stronger . After all, there was only a handful in history who could transform the Heart Saber Stance into the most powerful move .

Time to begin . Meng Chuan quickly drew his saber .

Wind blades whistled through the air, their trajectories unpredictable . A saber beam flashed and cleaved the wind blades! The wind blades were weak, so Meng Chuan sliced through them easily .

Nine saber beams struck the wind blades one after another, but there were still two wind blades that flew past Meng Chuan .

Oh? Meng Chuan frowned . According to the manual, I have to block all the wind blades . However, the wind blades don’t fly over simultaneously . I need to slice them apart quickly . My saber needs to be fast, and I have to strike out consecutively and accurately .

It was different from when he trained with arrows flying at him . Previously, Meng Chuan struck out once before sheathing his saber, in preparation for the next strike .

Here, a large number of wind blades attacked him irregularly . He needed to draw his saber quickly and strike out multiple times . In the blink of an eye, he needed to attack seven to ten times .

I’ll follow the Quintessential Essence circulation method described by the Heart Intent Saber manual . Meng Chuan was also adapting to it . Previously, he used the Quintessential Essence circulation method that he had gleaned from a portion of the Five Lightning Descent move to create his own Saber Drawing Stance .

However, the technique he created was crude .

The Heart Saber Stance circulation method is the most suitable for a saber drawing stance . It can be said to be the best saber drawing stance in the world .

As Meng Chuan got used to it, his execution of the saber move improved . Ninety percent of his strength went into the saber strike, while the last ten percent was used to direct the blade . His explosive speed would reach an extreme, and he would immediately deliver another strike . He kept this up continuously, his saber never stopping .

This was the only way to slice more and more wind blades apart .

Yes, that’s how it should be . Meng Chuan quickly adapted . After all, he had spent a lot of effort on the Saber Drawing Stance . He had a great deal of experience, so he learned the Heart Saber Stance quickly . He quickly blocked the wind blades in Thousand Sabers Cavern and advanced forward . As he advanced, the wind blades grew in strength and number . When Godfiend Guo Ke reached Thousand Sabers Cavern’s end, he had relied on his Heart Saber Stance to become a Regis Godfiend . As a mortal, Meng Chuan was still far from reaching that stage .

…

Meng Chuan spent seven hours cultivating in Thousand Sabers Cavern every day . He spent six hours on the Heart Saber Stance . He spent an hour practicing the movement technique, Swallow Stance, and the defensive technique, Red Lotus Stance . Swallow Stance and Red Lotus Stance were Heart Intent Saber’s ninth and fifth moves respectively .

After leaving Thousand Sabers Cavern, he returned to his cave abode to eat and rest . In the afternoon, he would spend two hours tempering his body with baneful aura . When evening came, he painted . Having learned that painting was beneficial to his Essence Soul, he naturally didn’t stop . He also liked painting from the bottom of his heart .

…

Days passed .

Meng Chuan’s cultivation of Lightning Devastator Fiend Body went very smoothly . He reached First Refinement in five days, Second Refinement in twelve days, and the Third Refinement in eighteen days . His progress was extremely smooth, making Meng Chuan extremely happy . From the looks of it, he was truly suited for the Lightning Devastator Fiend Body .

However—a month later—he encountered a bottleneck .